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Turning engine over several time after oil change before starting

Is it necessary to ground the plugs and turn the engine over several times before starting after an oil change. The fellow that told me this said if you have an oil cooler you should open the the thermostate with a sp bolt befor turning it over. I have heard about draining the oil from the thermostat with an oil change. Is turning the engine over several time necessary?

If I understand it correctly, using the special bolt let's the oil slowly refill the cooler (since it's probably been drained) rather than possibly have the thermostat snap open resulting in a surge of oil into the cooler.

As for turning the engine over in general, I've rarely done it but it does provide a warm-n-fuzzy to see the oil light go out while cranking the starter...this lets you know you didn't make any major mistakes in installing the filter and o-ring.

Is it necessary to ground the plugs and turn the engine over several times before starting after an oil change. The fellow that told me this said if you have an oil cooler you should open the the thermostate with a sp bolt befor turning it over. I have heard about draining the oil from the thermostat with an oil change. Is turning the engine over several time necessary?

Jack
Ocala Fl

No not necessary. Just make sure the dreaded O ring is installed properly ( if bike is so equiped ). If prior to changing the oil you have run or better still riden the bike to get it warmed up, put the bike on the sidestand for 5 minutes or so before you put the bike on the center stand. The angle the bike is stilling at will help the oil cooler drain down.

If you don't believe me try this. Ride the bike, stop put it on the center stand - check the oil. Then ride the bike, stop, put it on the sidestand let it sit for 5 minutes or so, then put the bike on the center stand & check the oil. The oil level will be higher in the second case. On oilheads which had coolers this was the only way to accurately check the oil level.

In my view there is no reason to actually drain an oil cooler ( unless you've had the engine blow up and you are doing a complete rebuild ).

IF ya could kill it?

The airhead engine is a marvel and not likely ever going to be killed by these oil cooler concerns. I find'em absolutely one of the most bombproof engines ever built by anybody, anywhere. I do however, always prime my spin on filters(other type engines), just finding it a sound idea. Matt Parkhouse just recently wrote about a guy or two draining their trannies, thinking it was engine oil drain plug!!! They filled the engine to 4 qts, with existing oil in their already. Wow. One guy rode his tranny, EMPTY of oil, to Pikes Peak and back, no damage. Another Wow. I don't know about the overfilled engine oil and its result, BUT. Come'on folks, the airhead outlives us ALL and will watch over our graves, still running. Randy

Quasi Oil Thread

Oh, the humanity!

Totally agree that the boxer engine is as tough as a nickel steak.

My understanding is that NO oil reaches the moving parts until the filter cavity is full, THEN it goes to the engine.

Snowbum recommends turning off the petcocks (of course) then popping the float bowls and draining. This is a good chance to get all those red paint chips out and any dead rodents that might still be in there.

Crank until the scary light goes out. To me, this is easier than shorting the plugs. Plus, I love the smell of gasoline in the morning. . .

The angle the bike is stilling at will help the oil cooler drain down.

You're confusing Oilheads and Airheads.

I always disconnected the oil cooler lines from the thermostat at every oil change, as it makes it about 1000% easier to refit the thermostat to the block without dislodging the o-ring or quad-ring when doing so. New crush washers, of course, and this for sure gets the cooler drained.

But, if you don't do this, it DOES NOT excuse you from using the special bolt in the thermostat to assure complete cooler filling.

The Oil Cooler

To drain or not to drain, that is the question? Call me crazy but if it was not recommended to drain the oil cooler and refill it according to the instructions why would the "special bolt" even exist?

Isn't this sort of obvious? Maybe I am missing something but I drain it and refill it as per the manual whenever I change the oil. On the 82 RS with lowers it takes a fair bit of fiddling so I cuss and complain a bit while I do it but I do it nonetheless.